IAAF change rules on false starts

The rules for false starts in athletics were changed yesterday by the sport's ruling body the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF).

Their congress voted 97 votes to 55 to change the rule to disqualifying any athlete who false starts on the first occasion.

In 2003 the IAAF had adopted the rule that any athlete who false started on the first time they got down in the blocks was given a reprieve and it was an athlete who provoked a false start on the second occasion who was disqualified.

The rule will come into force on January 1, 2010.

This change had been recommended by the IAAF Council in 2005, but was not voted on because it was feared that it would not gain a majority as certain delegates had publicly voiced their opposition to it.